New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisimp 172’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisimp 172’, characterized by its outwardly spreading, rounded and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching and freely flowering habit; large rounded purple and red purple bi-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage; and dark green-colored leaves.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DESIGNATION

Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisimp 172.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fisimp 172’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new moderately compact Impatiens cultivars that flower relatively early with large rounded flowers and attractive flower colors.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor in July, 1999 of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Alexis, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/765,324, abandoned, as the female, or seed, parent with the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Kispix, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 08/797,866, abandoned, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Fisimp 172 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal in March, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in Moncarapacho, Portugal, since March, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fisimp 172’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fisimp 172’ as a new and distinct Impatiens cultivar:

1. Outwardly spreading, rounded and uniformly mounded plant habit.

2. Freely branching and freely flowering habit.

3. Large rounded purple and red purple bi-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

4. Dark green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Alexis. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Alexis in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger and lighter green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Alexis.

2. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were purple and red purple bi-colored whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Alexis were light pink and red bi-colored.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Kispix. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Kispix in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were taller and not as compact as plants of the cultivar Kispix.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Kispix.

3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were purple and red purple bi-colored whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Kispix were lavender and red purple bi-colored.

Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Kimpgua, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,429. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Kimpgua in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more upright than plants of the cultivar Kimpgua.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens were more densely foliated and fuller than plants of the cultivar Kimpgua.

3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were larger than flowers of plants of the cultivar Kimpgua.

4. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were purple and red purple bi-colored whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Kimpgua were light purple and red purple bi-colored.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fisimp 172’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Fisimp 172 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, under commercial practice in a greenhouse. Rooted young plants were planted in 17.5-cm containers during the spring and the aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements were taken during the summer about 17 weeks later. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21 to 24° C. and night temperatures were about 17 to 18° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisimp 172.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Alexis, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/765,324, abandoned.

Male parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Kispix, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 08/797,866, abandoned.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 8 to 9 days at 24° C. Winter: About 10 days at 21° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 15 days at 24° C. Winter: About 18 days at 21° C.

Root description.—Numerous, fibrous, and freely branching; 159A in color.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Outwardly spreading, low, rounded and uniformly mounded plant growth habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance; freely flowering. Moderately vigorous.

Crop time.—From a rooted cutting, about 10 to 11 weeks are required to produce finished flowering plants in 12-cm containers.

Plant height.—About 22.5 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 54.8 cm.

Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: About 13. Length: About 20.5 cm. Diameter: About 7.5 mm. Internode length: About 3.5 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 181A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Primarily in whorls. Length: About 13.4 cm. Width: About 4.4 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Serrulate with ciliation. Texture: Smooth, slightly rugose; glabrous. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 139A. Young foliage, lower surface: 185A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 139A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 185B to 185C. Venation, upper surface: 53A. Venation, lower surface: 187B. Petiole: Length: About 1.75 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Upper surface: 53B. Lower surface: 187B.

Flower description:

Flower type and flowering habit.—Single; large rounded purple and red purple bi-colored flowers; mostly flat. Freely and continuously flowering; usually about 7 to 10 flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers positioned above and beyond the foliage and typically face parallel to the leaf canopy. Petals not persistent; gynoecium persistent. Flowers not fragrant.

Flower longevity.—Flowers last about 8 to 9 days on the plant.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. Plants begin flowering about 9 to 10 weeks after planting.

Flower buds.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Variable, from 57B to 60C.

Flower length.—About 6.6 cm.

Flower width.—About 6.5 cm.

Flower depth.—About 7.5 mm.

Petals.—Quantity: Five per flower, imbricate. Length: Banner petals: About 3.1 cm. Lateral and base petals: About 3.5 cm. Width: Banner petal: About 4.9 cm. Lateral and base petals: About 4.2 cm. Shape: Roughly cordate. Apex: Emarginate; shallow lobes. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture: Smooth; satiny. Color: When opening, upper surface: Ground color, 78C; center of banner petal and longitudinal central stripes on lateral and base petals; 74A. When opening, lower surface: 67C. Fully opened, upper surface: Ground color, 72D; center of banner petal and longitudinal central stripes on lateral and base petals; 74A. Towards base of petals or eye, 74A. Ground color becoming close to 68C with subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: 67C.

Spur.—Quantity: One per flower. Length: About 4.3 cm. Diameter: At apex: About 0.5 mm. At flower: About 3 mm. Aspect: Curved. Color: 47A to 53D.

Peduncles.—Length: About 4.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible. Angle: About 45° from the lateral branch. Color: 144C.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five fused at anthers, hooded; filaments free. Anther length: About 6.5 mm. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther color: 68A, faint. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 8D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 5.5 mm. Stigma color: 51A. Style color: 51A. Ovary: Five-celled. Ovary color: Initially 141A, becoming 187A with development.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Impatiens. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisimp 172’, as illustrated and described. 